我們在建設屋邨時，致力營造可讓居民產生認同和歸屬感

的社區，令他們樂於以此為家，彼此關懷互助，共建

和睦鄰里。

In building our estates, we seek to create a sense of identity and community, where residents can feel at home in their surroundings, enjoy friendly neighbourhoods and contribute to a caring community.

Building Sustainable Communities持續發展社區

Building Sustainable CommunitiesIn the building and construction of new estates,

we enjoyed a satisfactory year, not only seeing the

completion of 19 050 new flats in eight estates –

Ching Ho Estate in Fanling, Mei Tin Estate in Sha Tin,

Un Chau Estate in Sham Shui Po, Yau Lai Estate at the

Eastern Harbour Crossing, Upper Ngau Tau Kok Estate,

Lam Tin Estate, Sau Mau Ping Estate and Choi Ying Estate

in Kwun Tong – but also the fruition of a number of

new design concepts and practices. At the end of

March 2009, our total housing stock stood at around

694 000 units in 195 estates and courts.

We also added 3 800 square metres of retail space

as well as 310 parking spaces at Choi Ying Estate,

Upper Ngau Tau Kok Estate and Ching Ho Estate. The new

retail facilities, including those in Ching Ho Estate and

Tin Ching Estate, all feature the use of street-front

shops with open arcades instead of enclosed shopping

centres, thus bringing shoppers into the streets. A new

lift tower was also completed, connecting Kwai Chung

Estate with Tai Wo Hau Estate and the MTR station in its

vicinity. This new facility, which forms part of the 18-year

redevelopment of Kwai Chung Estate, provides more

convenient access for over 40 000 people and makes it

easier for them to move between the different height

levels in the area.

New Developments

The planning and production of public rental housing

(PRH) takes place over long periods of time, often

requiring at least five years from planning and design

to production and completion. The availability of land

resources is therefore key to our production and we must

work closely with relevant government departments

to identify suitable land for PRH development. When

suitable land resources have been identified, we seek

to collect views from existing inhabitants in the district,

engage them in an on-going dialogue and address their

concerns. These extensive public consultations

often result in the inclusion of various community

facilities, ranging from pedestrian bridges and lift towers

to community centres and other public amenities,

in the new development. During the year, as a result

of consultations held with nine district councils in

relation to 25 sites, coupled with our on-going inter-

departmental liaison with the government, we were able

to obtain planning approval for five projects.

In 2008/09, four piling contracts and four building

contracts were awarded while at the end of March 2009,

about 33 000 units in around 18 projects were under

building construction.

Supporting the government’s drive to create job opportunities

to combat the economic downturn, we advanced three

projects which will bring forward the provision of about

1 000 jobs for the construction industry.

Yau Lai Estate is one of the eight new estates completed this year.

37

People-oriented and Sustainable Principles

In planning, designing and building our estates, we

are guided by two major principles – to be people-

oriented as well as functional and cost-effective. These

two guiding principles are further supported by our

objectives to ensure social, environmental and economic

sustainability.

Social Sustainability

In ensuring a sustainable social environment, we need to

do a lot more than simply construct housing blocks. In

building our estates, we seek to create a sense of identity

and community, where residents can feel at home in

their surroundings, enjoy friendly neighbourhoods and

contribute to a caring community.

Adopting Universal Design

As a first step in this process, we plan and develop estates

using site-specific design to overcome site construction

constraints, and make the best use of the site’s features.

Simultaneously, our Universal Design principles, adopted

since 2002, ensure that PRH estates will provide “socio-

spatial equity” for everyone. In other words, we are

now building our estates to meet the diverse needs

of all residents, enabling “ageing in the community”

and creating a safe and accessible environment for the

elderly and the physically impaired, so that they can live

comfortably in the community. Facilities, such as lifts and

escalators in hilly areas, access ramps and barrier free

access, tactile paths for the visually impaired, audio-visual

information as well as safety features in the home, all

contribute to this healthy, inclusive and more sustainable

living environment.

Business Review

We strive to ensure social, environmental and economic sustainability when

designing and building our estates.

The landscape garden at Tin Ching Estate.

38

Building Sustainable Communities

Many of these facilities are now entering a new

generation. Working in partnership with the Hong Kong

Society for the Blind, for example, we have created our

first multi-sensory map at Shek Kip Mei for both residents

with normal vision as well as the visually impaired.

Engaging the Local Community

In our bid to foster a sense of identity and create

common neighbourhoods, new estates, and

redevelopment estates in particular, are being planned

with their heritage, history and locality in mind. Heritage

points, for instance, have been incorporated into the

redevelopment of Shek Kip Mei Estate, reflecting our

own housing history in the area (built in the early 1950s,

the original estate at Shek Kip Mei was Hong Kong’s very

first public housing development). We also engaged the

community in the planning and design process, holding

partnership workshops, consultations, exhibitions and

competitions to collect neighbourhood views and

local input for the new development. This process of

engagement was also adopted in the development

of Ma Hang Headland Park and Yau Tong Estate. More

recently, the involvement of residents in Ngau Tau Kok

has led to the inclusion of a cultural spine, which will

help to preserve the area’s heritage, in the design and

redevelopment of Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate.

Continuing this engagement with the community during

the year, public engagement workshops were held

under the supervision of three Assistant Directors of the

Housing Department and the facilitation of independent

specialists, with regard to the redevelopment of So Uk

Estate as well as the new PRH development being planned

at Anderson Road.

Common and leisure areas, public spaces and

community facilities are also being carefully designed

to promote social interaction and foster harmonious

surroundings. In Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate, for example,

at the request of the local District Council, part of the site

has been set aside for building a cross-district cultural

centre, helping to meet the needs of the community and

thereby ensuring greater sustainability into the future.

This sense of community is also taken into consideration

when designing commercial facilities in our new

estates. Designs for Kai Tak and Shek Kip Mei include

the building of street-front shops to bring life into the

streets while also fostering a sense of community within

the neighbourhood. Similarly, new shopping centres like

Yau Tong Shopping Centre and Yau Lai Shopping Centre

at the Eastern Harbour Crossing Phase 6 will be family-

based, providing facilities not only for shoppers but also

for children and diverse members of the community.

Common and leisure areas at Upper Ngau Tau Kok Estate aim to preserve the

heritage of the district.

Tactile paths for the visually impaired are part

of our Universal Design.

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Business Review

Estates, completed during the year, were among the first

developments to use these micro-climate studies in their

design and construction.

Estate Greening

Extending this concept of a healthier and more

sustainable living environment, we are working towards

the more comprehensive greening of our estates.

Greener surroundings promote cleaner air, better heat

dissipation, greater well-being and more attractive

surroundings. A major initiative in this direction is the

greening of rooftops and walls, which not only offers

obvious visual appeal but also insulates buildings

from the heat and reduces building temperatures.

Pilot schemes are currently being conducted with the

installation of environmental façades, vertical green

panels as well as green rooftops in a number of estates.

Our efforts to provide green rooftops have been

particularly interesting, as we experimented with

different species to determine which plants would best

survive in the rooftop conditions. Grass is being used in

instances where rooftops can bear the additional weight

of the soil and moisture. However, grass needs fairly

constant maintenance as it has to be cut regularly. A new

plant species known as Sedum, which requires little or no

maintenance but is extremely decorative, was therefore

introduced to the roof at Ching Ho Estate, the market

roof at Fu Shan Estate, as well as the contractor workshop

roof at Wo Lok Estate.

Taking this concept a step forward and creating more

open and natural spaces for residents, we are also

exploring the inclusion of sky gardens in new estates.

The provision of sky gardens for greater social interaction

has accordingly been included in the design for the new

development at Kwai Luen Road.

Green rooftops reduce building temperatures while also

enhancing the visual appeal.

Street-front shops help bring life into the streets.

Environmental Sustainability

Green design practices form the basis of our

environmental sustainability programme. Green

design not only ensures better health and well-being

for residents, saves money and energy, and reduces

atmospheric pollution; it also contributes to more

pleasant and attractive surroundings.

Micro-climate Studies

First introduced in 2001, micro-climate studies provide

the starting point for our green design activities. Now

used in the design and development of all our new

estates, these studies employ computer simulations

to look into a site’s micro-climate – its airflow and wind

speeds, solar heat and ambient noise levels – to determine

the best use of the external space. They help us build

living spaces that let in as much natural ventilation and

daylight as possible, and also ensure that buildings

are positioned to enjoy the best that the natural

environment has to offer. Aiming to provide a healthier

and more comfortable living environment for residents,

while minimising pollution and saving energy, we have

applied these studies in over 33 developments as at the

end of March 2009. Choi Ying and Upper Ngau Tau Kok

40

Building Sustainable Communities

Action Seedling

This Community Participation Scheme engages our

tenants, contractors and the local community in greening

public housing projects while realising their social

responsibilities. Under this scheme, new works building

contractors join hands with Estate Management Advisory

Committees, non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

and schools to foster a greater sense of belonging and

community among our residents, contractors and the

community; while also promoting the benefits of a

green lifestyle.

Seedlings are given out to participants who nurture the

plants at home until they are ready to be transplanted

into the planters and gardens of new estates. The

first phase of the scheme was launched in 2007, with

hundreds of residents, students and community

members from seven estates helping to look after 5 000

seedlings, which were subsequently replanted as part

of the estates’ green landscapes. The first phase is now

complete; while the second phase, also involving seven

estates, is due for completion in 2009.

A Healthier Living Environment

The design of our new estates also takes the need for

clean and healthy surroundings into consideration

in the building of a sustainable lifestyle. A number of

improvements have been introduced in recent years.

One of the most significant being the implementation of

the “common W-trap” waste water system developed in

collaboration with the City University of Hong Kong after

the outbreak of the SARS epidemic. W-traps redress the

problem of dried-up floor drains, which was identified as

a factor in the spread of the disease. This design is now

being adopted in all our new estates, with Phase 3 of

Yau Lai Estate at the Eastern Harbour Crossing Site being

the first development to see its implementation during

the year.

Ensuring uninterrupted water supplies for tenants,

twin roof tanks are being incorporated into all our new

developments. The benefit of these dual tanks is that one

tank can remain in use while the other is being cleaned.

For better and more hygienic disposal of rubbish, refuse

compactor systems are being installed, together with

biochemical de-odourisers at refuse collection points,

in all new estates. “Mail-box” type rubbish bins are also

being tested at the Eastern Harbour Crossing Site Phase 5

to facilitate the separation of domestic waste at source.

Green Construction Methods

Completing the above green picture, we make the best

use of environment-friendly construction methods as

well as innovative technologies to save energy and

conserve resources. We continue to lead the industry

with initiatives such as modular design, prefabrication

and hard-paved construction methods. These techniques

enhance building quality and site safety, minimise waste,

generate less noise and reduce pollution. At the same

time, eco-friendly and more durable materials help to

The Action Seedling campaign aims to foster a greater

sense of belonging and community.

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Business Review

optimise the life cycle of our buildings and also benefit

the environment. Examples include the use of energy

saving light fitments as well as the installation of the new

“machine-roomless” lifts. The performance of the first

such lift at Mei Tin Estate has proven to be satisfactory.

Since 2002, all our projects have been designed

according to the Building Energy Codes issued by the

Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, meeting

energy efficiency requirements in lighting, electricity,

air-conditioning, lift and escalator installations. With

these designs in place, it is estimated that in a typical

housing block, a saving of around 6% in electricity or

around $40,000 a year can be made. Seeking to improve

these figures even further, new technologies to conserve

more energy in our buildings are under trial. These

include the testing of outdoor lighting systems powered

by renewable wind or solar energy, the installation of

solar panels at Lam Tin Estate, as well as the planned

implementation of hybrid ventilation systems to regulate

the natural cooling of air-conditioning systems for the

retail facilities at Yau Tong Estate and the development at

Choi Wan Road. Furthermore, the Shopping Centre at Kai

Tak Site 1A will adopt a distinct cooling system for better

energy efficiency.

To reduce water consumption, systems to harvest rain

water for irrigation purposes are being installed both at

the Eastern Harbour Crossing Site Phases 5 and 6 and

Yau Tong Redevelopment Phase 5, while dual flushing

systems have been adopted in Aldrich Bay Phase 5.

Economic Sustainability

Even with the highest levels of social and environmental

sustainability, our housing programme would not be

sustainable if we do not achieve economic sustainability,

through both functional and cost-effective design.

We therefore closely monitor the cost-effectiveness of

our buildings, benchmarking them to similar buildings

in the private sector. According to building tenders

received in February and March 2009 and cost consultant

reports, construction costs for our superstructures were

in general some 36% lower than similar projects in the

private sector. With new software introduced to optimise

the structural design of our buildings, it is hoped that this

figure will improve even further.

At the same time, economic sustainability is attainable

only if we also ensure the quality of our buildings,

improve our procurement systems, and protect the well-

being of our workforce.

Ensuring Built Quality through Third Party Checks

As our buildings do not fall under the control of the

Buildings Ordinance, the Independent Checking Unit

(ICU) provides third party monitoring and control

of all new and existing Housing Authority (HA)

developments and alteration works, in line with the

Building Department’s practices. It is also responsible

for exercising the Building Authority’s powers, under

delegated authority from the Director of Buildings, over

former HA buildings under the Home Ownership Scheme

and Tenants Purchase Scheme as well as the commercial

facilities now owned and managed by The Link REIT.

An outdoor lighting system powered by

solar energy is under trial at Lam Tin Estate.

Green construction methods are widely

adopted in our projects.

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Building Sustainable Communities

In addition, the unit regulates the use of all lift and

escalator installations within our estates in line with the

Lifts and Escalators (Safety) Ordinance. Reporting directly

to the Director of Housing, the ICU also receives support

and guidance from the Director of Buildings.

Improving construction standards in our new buildings,

we are migrating from British Standards to European

Standards. To facilitate this migration, a structured review

of our construction specifications is currently being

conducted. Also, with the adoption of site-specific

design over the past few years, we have gathered

widespread experience which, together with the

development of a range of Modular Flats, will further

enhance economies of scale in future projects.

Driving the constant improvement of our workforce, we

now require 100% trade tested workers in 32 out of 34

trades in new works contracts. The requirement currently

stands at no less than 100% and 85% skilled workers

in 10 and 22 trades respectively. Our Performance

Assessment Scoring System (PASS) also continues to play

a pivotal and systematic role in assessing, monitoring and

measuring the effective performance of our buildings,

building services and with piling contractors. Trial runs for

PASS were also carried out in two demolition contracts.

In addition to these conditions, our Quality Maintenance

Contractors have been required to gain ISO 14001

certification since December 2007. This requirement was

extended in April 2008 when all building and piling works

contractors also had to obtain ISO 14001 and OHSAS

18001 certification, with a grace period of one year.

Enhanced Procurement Practices, Specifications

and Systems

In our procurement practices, we work in partnership

with our contractors, seeking to enhance performance

at every stage of the construction process. Since 2000,

we have been partnering with piling and building

contractors to foster a common vision and shared goals,

including best contracting practices, ethics and integrity.

Another area where we work in very close collaboration

is the Dispute Resolution Advisor System. First introduced

in all our building and foundation contracts in 2004, the

system makes sure that we work closely with contractors

to avoid or ensure the speedy resolution of disputes,

preventing their escalation into larger and more costly

problems.

In mid-2008, we conducted a comprehensive completion

workshop for all building contracts completed earlier

in the year to review the effectiveness of our contract

administration. Recently, we launched another initiative,

our new Integrated Procurement Approach for the PRH

development at Kai Tak Site 1B. Using a hybrid approach,

it aims to reap the benefits of both a “design and build”

model in conjunction with the more traditional “design-

tender-build” approach. These new tactics aim to make

the best use of external resources for innovative design

and technology advancement while at the same time

maintaining our necessary quality controls.

Measures to improve the monitoring of contractors

and to ensure the payment of wages to workers have

been incorporated into all new works contracts.

A consultancy study has also been conducted to review

our procurement systems, to determine ways in which

we can better secure wage payments for workers.

In addition, a Working Group for Monitoring Wages

Payment to Workers has been set up while 23 Labour

Relations Officers also keep in touch with workers at our

sites to ensure their care and well-being. On-demand

bonds for all new works contracts have also been

implemented.

Improving Site Safety

While site safety is our topmost priority, we unfortunately

experienced two fatal accidents as well as a slight

Efforts are made to secure wage payments for workers

and ensure their well-being.

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Business Review

increase in the accident rate at our building sites

during the year. Investigating the situation, we have

identified that some of the lifting procedures might have

contributed to these casualties and have thus alerted

contractors to the problem.

The accident rate at our sites rose slightly to 16.1 injuries

per thousand workers in 2008 from 11.9 cases in the

previous year. Despite this slight increase, our accident

rate overall has declined steadily over the years from 55.8

cases per thousand workers in 2001, while the figure for

the overall construction industry decreased from 115 to

61.4 in the corresponding period.

Reinforcing our safety commitment – to lower accident

rates and achieve zero fatalities, we continue to enhance

our site safety strategies. In addition to contractual

controls which help maintain site safety to the highest

standards, our Pay for Safety Incentive Scheme

encourages contractors with incentive payments for their

health, safety and positive environmental practices. New

contracts also take into account the contractor’s previous

record of serious or fatal accidents.

Promoting better awareness of safety on a day-to-day

level, the Housing Department Site Safety Sub-

committee, consisting of representatives from the

Housing Department, government departments,

contractors’ associations and workers’ unions, continue

to meet on a regular basis.

Creation of Jobs

During the year, the programme for several projects

was advanced in response to the government’s call for

the creation of job opportunities in view of the financial

tsunami and the resulting economic downturn in 2008.

Such projects include the demolition of Kwun Tong

Flatted Factory, the construction of the Amenities and

Community Building at Tin Shui Wai area 104, and the

integrated contract for the design and construction of

Kai Tak Site 1B.

Measures to Alleviate Contractors’ Financial Burden

In the wake of the financial tsunami in 2008, we

implemented a series of measures to alleviate financial

difficulties experienced by our contractors. The measures

include reducing on-demand bonds from 10% to 3%

for foundation and new works building contracts, the

early payment of insurance premiums, shortening the

payment period from 21 days to 14 days, additional

interim payments between monthly payments for new

works contracts, and new interim payments for estate

works orders for maintenance work. These initiatives were

introduced in the spirit of partnership and collaboration

that we share with our contractors.

Construction Cost Trends

The construction price index continued its sharp rise in

the first quarter of 2008/09 due to on-going currency

fluctuations coupled with rapid cost increases in a

number of construction trades, ranging from concrete,

steel and metalworkers to joiners and plumbers.

However, this upward price trend subsequently reversed

to a downward one in the second half of the year,

mainly due to the substantial decrease in the material

cost of steel reinforcing bars after the global economic

downturn and the overall weakening of international

currencies against the US Dollar.

Construction of the Amenities and Community Building at Tin Ching

Estate has been advanced to create more job opportunities.

Site safety is our topmost priority.

44

Kwai Chung Estate is not only our largest public housing

estate providing homes for some 40 000 people, it also

encapsulates the story of public housing and the HA’s

development in Hong Kong. Built in the 1960s to meet

the needs of a rapidly growing population in a time of

severe housing shortages, the original estate was basic.

Housing 22 000 people in 42 seven-storey blocks, the

“walk-up” Mark 2 and 3 buildings consisted of communal

toilets and washrooms. By the late 1980s, these shared

facilities were no longer considered acceptable and Kwai

Chung Estate was identified for redevelopment under our

Comprehensive Redevelopment Programme (CRP).

Planning commenced in early 1990; by 2008, 18 years

later, the redevelopment was complete. The new estate

is now one of our flagships as it brings many of our

concepts for sustainable living into life. Its well-thought-

out design creates a community identity while its

“civic hub” encourages social interaction. This sense of

community was further enhanced by the focal use of

land, the preservation of mature trees and existing estate

features such as temples, the neighbouring Kai Fong

Association and local schools. New community facilities

and attractive recreational spaces, together with the

redesignation and realignment of roads, added to the

transformation of the district. The end result is not only a

modern estate that provides homes for people of all ages

with a green, healthy and convenient living environment,

but also the creation of a vibrant “hill-town” community.

To minimise the impact on residents, the redevelopment

was carried out in phases. Residents affected by Phase 1

of the redevelopment were moved to new reception

estates in the district and, as the new blocks went up,

they were used to rehouse residents from the rest

of the estate. This in-situ rehousing, reprovision and

retention helped to maintain the core community and its

characteristics. Out of the 22 000 original tenants,

7 000 were rehoused in the new estate. The wishes of the

elderly, in particular, to be rehoused in Kwai Chung were

respected. During the redevelopment, essential facilities

were maintained and every effort was made to retain

existing community characteristics.

With the redevelopment, the number of flats increased

from 8 850 units with shared facilities to 13 736 self-

contained homes. The “civic hub” design brings essential

The new Kwai Chung Estate brings many of our concepts for

sustainable living into life.

The “civic hub” design brings essential community facilities

together in a centrally accessible location.

An attractive green feature.

The Kwai Chung Estate Story

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Business Review

community facilities such as the commercial centre,

market, car park, welfare facilities and public transport

interchange together in a centrally accessible location,

creating a focal gathering point within the estate.

Extending this idea, a podium garden above the facilities

provides a place for residents to meet and socialise.

The estate environment is predominantly vehicular free.

Making it easy for tenants to move around, a pedestrian

walkway system consisting of footbridges, escalators and

lifts addresses the differing height levels, connecting not

only the different blocks to each other, but also the civic

centre and the Tai Wo Hau MTR station. The road network

was also redesigned to improve the site layout and traffic

flow. This is in direct contrast to the old estate which had

no proper public transport facilities, shops were scattered

randomly in different blocks, and the estate was broken

up into small, irregular sites by the roads in the area.

The focus on quality living was further heightened by our

efforts to provide a green and healthy environment. Over

60% of the estate area is landscaped and open spaces

have increased from about 4.8 to 7.5 hectares. More than

100 old trees were incorporated into the new estate

and 160 000 trees and shrubs were planted. A bamboo

garden, a podium garden as well as green noise barriers

complete this green picture.

The estate’s redevelopment has broken new ground

in a number of areas. The last phase of the project

pioneered the innovative and extensive use of

precast and prefabrication technologies. The

Automated Refuse Collection System, one of the

largest in Hong Kong, enables the collection and

handling of 34 tonnes of domestic refuse from the

entire estate in a totally enclosed environment to

improve environmental hygiene.

Reaffirming this innovation and commitment to quality,

Kwai Chung Estate has won a number of awards. Phases

3, 4 and 5 received the Residential Category Merit Award

under the Quality Building Award 2008. The biennial

awards are organised by nine building, construction

and property-related professional bodies to recognise

outstanding quality and teamwork while promoting the

highest standards of professionalism and a collective

commitment by the building industry. The final phase

of the development also won a commendation in the

Joint Structural Division Special Award 2008, co-hosted

by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the

United Kingdom’s Institution of Structural Engineers.

The judges commended it for its engineering approach,

integration, economy, innovation, buildability, unique

features, sustainability and serviceability.

Building on the success of Kwai Chung Estate, we will

maintain our commitment to sustainable living and

caring communities, seeking to achieve high standards of

quality in our activities as well as high standards of living

for our residents.

The old Kwai Chung Estate.

The modern Kwai Chung Estate provides homes for

people of all ages.

The Kwai Chung Estate Story